Improvement in padlocks



H. ESSEX.

Pad-Locks.` N0. 140,617, Patentedjuly 8,1873.

GWW g5@ s@ AM. pHoro-momma co. Nxwssb/ms mams) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ESSEX, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PADLCCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,617, dated July 8,1873; application filed May 3, 1873.

To all whom 'it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY EssEX, of Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Padlocks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of this speciication, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 ofthe drawings is a representation of my improved padlock with one side removed, to exhibit the interior parts. Fig. 2 is a view of the cover. Fig. 3 is a view of the several bolts used for the purpose of locking a slidingstaple.

My invention relates to padlocks; and consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the sections, the sliding bolts 'and staple having cross-grooves, inclined plane, and check, as hereinafter more fully described. rihe object of my invention is to furnish a padlock of easy construction, of great strength, of easy management, and still very difficult to pick or to disarra-nge. A

A represents the case of the padlock, and B represents the cover of it. A staple, G, is embedded to half its thickness in thc case A of the padlock, and to thc remaining halt' of its thickness in the cover B. The staple C is provided with Va number of cross-grooves, cl c2 c3, of different widths, the next one to the inner end being the narrowest, and the most distant one the widest. The end of the said staple is tapered on one side, as at c", and has on the opposite side a check or stopping block, D, which slides in agroove, d, in the cover B, and prevents the separation of the staple from the padlock in the act of nnlocking. The head of the staple G is bent at c, and thereby forms an eye with the case, when locked. The case A has, beside the recess for the staple, another deeper recess, crossing that of the staple at a right angle, or nearly so. This deep recess contains a number of movable bolts, E E1 E2, with paru tition-strips g g, to till up the space-s between the bolts. The bolts E E1 E2 are provided with recesses, across which the sta-ple G slides when unlocked. When locked, the said bolts cross the grooves c1 c2 c3, either partly or wholly.

To unlock or withdraw the staple C, the bolts are pushed by a key, F, withk steps f f1 f2, arranged in such manner that they bring the recesses in said bolts in one line with the recesses of the staple C, forming an uninterrupted passage for the staple. The staple may then be pulled outward until it is checked by the meeting of the blockD with the end of the recess (l. The bolts E E1 E2, after they are relieved from the staple, resume the old positions with the aid of a spring, G, which bears against the ends of the said bolts, and is jammed with both of its ends into the corners of a segmental depression in the ease. A

For the purpose of locking the sta-ple C the key F is not wanted, and it is only necessary to push the J -shaped staple back into the case. The point of the staple enters thereby the recesses of the bolts E El E2; the inclination c4 pushes them in the right position, so the main part of the staple may enter them". As the narrowest slot c3 passes the wide bolt E irst, and the middle-sized holt afterward, there is no danger of the bolt E entering the slots c3 or c2, and locking the staple C prema-v turely and imperfectly. 'lhe same is the case with the middle-sized bolt El; and thc staple can only be locked when the slot-s c1 c2 c3 arrive at their corresponding bolts-that is, when the staple C is pushed down to its full allowance..

vWhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. rihe combination of the sections A and B, the sliding staple C with inclined plane c, check D, recess d, bolts E E1 E2, removable partition-plates g, and spring G, substantially as specified.

2. The construction and arrangement ot' the grooves c1 c2 c3, and sliding bolts E El E2, and the inclined plane c4 on the sliding staple C, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY ESSEX.

Witnesses:

E. ELLsWoRTH, JOHN Umori. 

